Geocapabilities: Toward An International Framework for Researching the Purposes and Values of Geography Education

Year 2013, Volume: 3 Issue: 3, 214 - 229, 01.09.2013

Michael Solem David Lambert Sirpa Tanı

Abstract

GeoCapabilities is a transatlantic collaborative project for researching the purposes and values of geography education through a “capabilities approach”. Inspired by the writings of philosopher Amartya Sen and economist Martha Nussbaum, the capabilities approach provides a normative framework for understanding the broader aims of geography in education and how these aims may be shared internationally, irrespective of differences in the scope and sequencing of national geography standards. We posit a capabilities approach also offers significant practical benefits by clarifying for teachers the ways geography imparts a “powerful knowledge” and an essential perspective for life and citizenship in a highly interdependent world. This article reports the outcomes of the first phase of research for GeoCapabilities. A content analysis was performed for the purpose of auditing the national geography standards in the United States, England and Finland for evidence of capabilities as intended educational aims for geography in schools, specifically with regard to the geo-capabilities of making personal choices for sustainability, being creative and productive in a global economy and culture, and achieving personal autonomy. This analysis is followed by a synthesis showing how the results of the three national case studies potentially provide a shared conceptual basis for geography curriculum making for human capability development across national boundaries. The article concludes with recommendations for expanding the research and enhancing curriculum making from a capabilities approach.

Keywords

Capabilities, geography education, curriculum making, teacher preparation, teacher leadership.

Geocapabilities: Toward An International Framework for Researching the Purposes and Values of Geography Education

Abstract

Keywords

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• Biographical statements Dr. Michael Solem is Educational Affairs Director at the Association of American Geographers. His current research focuses on international education, graduate education, workforce development, and teacher preparation in geography. David Lambert is Professor of Geography Education at the Institute of Education, University of London. Before that he was Chief Executive of the Geographical Association, committed to strengthening the place of geography in the school curriculum and supporting the professional development of teachers through curriculum making activities. He co-authored (with John Morgan) Teaching Geography 11-18: a conceptual approach and is currently working on a book with Michael Young on Knowledge, curriculum and social justice. Sirpa Tani is Professor of Geography and Environmental Education at the University of Helsinki, Finland. Her research activities deal with geography education, geographies of young people and visual methodologies.